


As Long As We're Together

by feistypants



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Canon Compliant, F/F, Fluff, One Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:55:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27744097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feistypants/pseuds/feistypants
Summary: A collection of little ficlets from prompts I get over ontwitter/curiouscat:)Mostly catradora, but other stuff might get sprinkled in. Every chapter/ficlet will be marked appropriately for rating & ship (or characters if non-ship).
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 36
Kudos: 84





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all! I've started taking writing prompts over on [twitter](https://twitter.com/feistypaaants) & [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.qa/feistypaaants) and decided to start posting them over here! they're all quite short so i didn't want to post any individually :P
> 
> onward!
> 
> _Could you write Catra reading a book to Adora because she loves her voice and Adora just looking at Catra like she is the most beautiful thing of this world?_
> 
> **ship:** Catradora  
>  **rating:** Gen  
>  **verse:** Canon

Adora poked her head around the corner into the small library, a smile stretching on her cheeks as her eyes landed on the back of Catra’s head. She was curled up on the end of the couch, tail hanging over the armrest and flicking just slightly as she focused on the book in front of her face. Sneaking in as quietly as she could, Adora grimaced when she stumbled on a curled piece of the rug, but let out a soft sigh of relief when the only movement Catra seemed to make was a slight twitch of her ear.

She was  _ positive _ that Catra had heard her, but she hadn’t moved… so maybe there was a chance that Adora could still surprise her. A small one probably, but slim odds never really discouraged her. 

“Hey, Catra,” she hummed, low and sultry, as she slung her arms over the back of the couch to drape over Catra’s shoulders. “What are you reading?”

Catra simply let out a soft laugh and stroked her fingers across Adora’s bare forearm. “Just some boring legal stuff. Glimmer wanted me to brush up for the council meeting.” 

Adora nodded, biting at her lip before pulling away from Catra and leaping over the back of the couch, her weight bouncing Catra just slightly off of the cushion. She sat there in silence for a minute or two - or maybe ten, she wasn’t really sure - before releasing a loud sigh and flopping down to lay her head on Catra’s lap. “Heeeey.”

Another breath of a laugh. “Hey yourself.”

“Remember when I was helping you learn to read?”

Humming an affirmation as she carded her fingers through Adora’s hair, Catra kept her eyes glued to the book in front of her. “I do.”

“Remember how…” Adora’s fingers found the hem of Catra’s shirt - well, hers, really - and twisted the fabric between her digits as her eyes traced over the curve of Catra’s cheek. “I’d make you read aloud to me?”

“Yeah,” Catra said, her gaze finally falling down to meet Adora’s. “I hated it.”

“Oh.”

“Only because the other cadets would make fun of me if they heard.” Catra closed the book around her thumb to give Adora her full attention, and Adora let her hands wander underneath her loose shirt to stroke against the soft fur on Catra’s stomach. “But you always stood up for me,  _ hero _ .”

Adora couldn’t help the proud grin that spread across her lips. “Wanna read your  _ hero _ something again?”

“You want to learn about the laws of Etheria?” Catra’s eyebrows had risen up under her fringe in disbelief. 

“Well -“ Adora sat up just enough to get closer to Catra, noticing the slight flush spreading over her cheeks. “Not really. I just…” She leaned forward, pressing a chaste kiss against stunned lips, and smiled. “Wanna listen to you talk. I like listening to your voice.”

Catra barked a laugh and pulled her fingers from Adora’s hair before squeezing both sides of her chin. “You’re so gross.” Adora’s smile never fell and Catra used her grip on her cheeks to push her back down to lay in Catra’s lap again. “Yeah, all right.”

Adjusting slightly to rest her book bearing arm on the couch Catra began tracing her claws up and down the length of Adora’s arm as she started to read all about some court case that Adora had missed the name of. The content didn’t matter to Adora, really, as she watched intently as Catra’s lips formed each word with grace. 

The extra time together - when Adora could just watch Catra exist and not feel ashamed of how in love she was - was the only thing Adora cared about.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _for the catradora prompt: pre canon.. in the horde....late nights.... almost kiss 👀_
> 
> **Ship:** catradora  
>  **Rating:** teen & up  
>  **Verse:** canon

It was too warm. 

Catra could feel every point where their bodies made contact - every hot brush of skin on skin, the tickle of Adora’s hair on her cheek, the ghost of her breath over Catra’s lips as they whispered and giggled under the dark protection of Adora’s blanket. With both of them underneath, older and taller now, their toes poked out of the bottom and Catra’s tail was swishing furiously over the edge of the mattress. 

They were safe. Here, in their cocoon, no one could touch them.

But Adora was too close, and Catra was staring at the soft swell of her cheek, and the pretty blue of her eyes, and the plush pink of her lips, and trying her best to think of when Adora started being this beautiful and when it was exactly that Catra started being overwhelmed with how much she wanted  _ more _ .

“Do you know about kissing?”

Adora’s voice was even quieter than normal as she whispered the question, her eyes no longer meeting Catra’s as pink tinged her cheeks. 

“I…” Catra swallowed her words, biting back the flush on her own face. She knew about kissing. She had known about it for years, after some of the other cadets wouldn’t shut up about it - and ever since she had known about it, she couldn’t stop thinking about kissing  _ Adora _ . “Yeah, why?”

Adora shrugged, and squeezed their interlaced fingers. “I dunno…” Catra nudged at her best friend with her foot, encouraging her to go on. “I ran into Octavia… and someone… and they were just…” 

Catra wasn’t sure if her improved night vision was a blessing or a curse as Adora’s cheeks grew red and her steely eyes dropped down to linger on Catra’s own mouth.

Ignoring the speed of her heart under her ribs, Catra put on a playful front to ease the tension. “You wanna try it?” Adora’s gaze snapped up to meet hers, and Catra rolled her mismatched eyes. “Just to see what all the fuss is about, you know?”

“Oh.” Adora seemed almost… disappointed. But Catra refused to get her hopes up about that. “... Yeah. I kinda do.”

Catra let go of Adora’s hand before cupping her cheek in her palm. 

“What are you doing?” Adora’s face was so hot under her skin, and Catra begged her heart to stop hammering in her chest.

“It’s… it’s what I’ve seen people do,” Catra said, hoping Adora couldn’t see the flush on her cheeks. “I’m gonna come closer, okay?”

Feeling Adora’s throat bob under her pinkie, Catra waited for her friend’s nod of affirmation before moving. Suddenly their noses were touching, and Adora’s hand was pressed against Catra’s clavicle, and they were so close, just a hair away and oh, Catra had never felt more exhilarated in her entire life and then —

Adora burst into laughter, shoving back on Catra’s chest, and Catra grit her teeth as she forced her hand away from Adora’s skin.

“I’m sorry!” She howled through the tears forming in her eyes. “That was just kinda weird!”

“Y-yeah.” Catra felt a lump in her throat as Adora’s laughter turned into quiet giggles after Lonnie chucked her pillow at them screaming for them to just shut up already. “Weird.”

Adora laced their fingers together again, and slid forward to press her forehead into the crook of Catra’s neck, whispering a too casual goodnight before dozing off too quickly, and Catra…

Catra tried her best not to cry.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Catra finds Melog on the street brings them home and starts lovin on them more than adora and then she gets jealous_
> 
> **Ship:** catradora  
>  **Rating:** gen  
>  **Verse:** modern

Adora was  _ not _ jealous. It definitely didn’t bother her that Catra had come home completely enamored with her new  _ friend _ . It wasn’t at all annoying that they were currently cuddled together on the couch while Adora got sidelined to the single recliner. It was of course absolutely fine that Catra’s nails were scratching against their head as they rested their chin on her shoulder.

She was  _ fine _ with this. 

At least, she  _ was _ .

Until Catra pressed a kiss against their forehead, and Adora felt her heart rate spike. 

“Catra?” she asked, standing up abruptly. “Can I talk to you?”

Catra’s eyes dropped from Adora to the newcomer, before she scrunched up her nose and made no move to get up. “What’s up?”

A pause, and a grimace, and a barely audible mumble. “They’re in my spot.”

“... What?” When Adora didn’t say anything, Catra gestured to the empty cushion. “You can join us, you know. I think they’ll like you.”

Adora crossed her arms over her chest and huffed, as if that had been the worst suggestion in the entire world. “No thank you.”

Then, an amused smile tugged at the corners of Catra’s lips and she hummed. “Adora…” Their eyes met, and Adora felt her entire face flush at the smug expression taking over Catra’s face. “Are you jealous… of a cat?”

Adora practically spat her disbelief, taking multiple short, sharp breaths before she blew the last one through slightly parted lips, vibrating them with disdain. “What?!” Her voice had risen like four octaves. “I’m not  _ jealous _ of a  _ cat. _ It’s just…” She pouted, her brows furrowing together. “They hissed at me!”

“You came on a little strong —“

“I did  _ not _ !”

“ _ Adora _ .” Catra’s voice was low and warning, as the cat on her chest was starting to growl. “Why don’t you try… being gentler?”

A soft whine escaped Adora’s throat as she hesitantly moved towards the couch, sitting next to Catra’s bare feet. The cat seemed to calm down as Catra’s lithe fingers stroked over their soft fur, but it’s eyes were locked onto Adora. “How do I do that?”

Catra smiled, and stopped her petting when the cat stood up. “You let them come to you…”

A low growl was still coming from the cat, but it stood up and started to walk closer to Adora. 

“Just stick your hand out - slowly - and…”

Adora listened, and let her fingers dangle out uselessly in front of her. It took a couple of minutes, and her arm was getting tired, and she was about to give up, but finally… The cat came forward, and pressed their nose into her palm.

She gasped lightly, her eyes darting up to meet Catra’s, as a smile took over her entire face. The cat started purring, rubbing its cheeks and chin against her skin, and allowing her to scratch back in return. Within moments, the cat was curling up in her lap and kneading at her thigh. 

“See? I told you.”

Starry eyed and absolutely enamored, Adora looked down at the purring bundle. “What’s their name?”

“Melog…”

“And…” Adora lifted her gaze back to Catra’s, and smiled. “We’re keeping them, right?”

Catra laughed and nodded. 

“Of course we are, dummy.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _snowed in? or once i was stuck after school in a bathroom stall with 5 other ppl bc of a tornado, maybe something chatic like that lmao_
> 
> **Ship:** catradora  
>  **Rating:** T  
>  **Verse:** modern

“This is entirely your fault.”

Catra’s head snapped up to face the glittery purple-haired girl who was standing beside Adora - who hadn’t moved from her seated spot on the counter -, glaring daggers as she ran her fingers through Adora’s hair. “Excuse me? What are you talking about?”

“If you hadn’t been  _ bothering _ my friend, maybe we would have been able to go with everyone else!” Catra watched with unease as the girls’ fingers tightened on Adora’s shoulders, and she could feel a low growl coming from the back of her throat. “But now we’re stuck in this  _ bathroom _ and hoping we don’t get blown away!”

“For your information,  _ Sparkles _ , I wasn’t  _ bothering _ her.” The red flush that bloomed on Adora’s cheeks made Catra grin with satisfaction. “Quite the opposite. Isn’t that right, Adora?”

She watched with glee as Adora’s eyes locked onto a spot on the floor as the purple-haired girl tried to get her attention.

“What is she talking about? Do you guys know each other?”

“Oh,” Catra purred, pushing up off the wall and crossing the small bathroom to throw herself into Adora’s lap, delighted in the way Adora’s hands automatically embraced her and pulled her closer. “We go way back.” A steady hand on Adora’s cheek grabbed her attention, and soon their gazes were locked, and Sparkles didn’t even matter anymore. 

“...Adora?”

Steely blue eyes darted between Catra in her lap and her friend standing off to the side as her blush deepened. “Uhhh,” she hummed, her fingers drumming anxiously against Catra’s thigh. “This is Catra, you know… I’ve mentioned her.”

Catra ignored Sparkles’ gasp of admonishment as she stroked her fingers down Adora’s skin to pinch at her cheek and pull all of her focus back. “Awwww,” Catra sighed, leaning in closer so their mouths were only a hair apart. “You talk about me?” All she cared about in this moment was the soft part of Adora’s lips as she sucked in a shaky breath.

So the next part took her by surprise.

“Nothing good!” Sparkles practically yelled as Catra felt her fingers curling into the back of her shirt and suddenly she was thrown bodily to the ground.

“Glimmer! Stop!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may be expanding on this one a little bit ,,,,, possibly. It was super fun hahaha.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Adora impulsively asking Catra to give her a haircut and catra giving her the world's messiest undercut and adora loves it so much she refuses to get professionally cleaned up for like, weeks, despite glimmer begging her to_
> 
> **ship:** catradora  
>  **rating:** gen  
>  **verse:** canon

“Okay… Are you  _ absolutely _ sure you want me to do this?”

Adora nodded enthusiastically, continuing to tie off the hair she didn’t want touched. “Yeah, one hundred percent!” She could feel Catra using her claws to do her best to part the hair more neatly, but tedious things like this had never been either of their strong suits. “Just do it!” 

“Okay, okay!” Catra hollered, pulling hair up off the back of Adora’s neck, and then there was the metallic  _ snip _ of the blades coming together and Catra gasping “oh shit.”

“It’s fine!”

So Catra continued, and Adora could feel her entire body getting lighter. She never had control over anything in her life, so this felt like an act of rebellion. This felt like she was finally calling the shots. This felt like  _ freedom _ .

And it was Catra helping her -  _ always _ helping her. Helping her succeed, helping her grow and move forward and helping her find herself. 

“Baby, this looks so bad… You should have had Glimmer do it.” Catra kept pulling up random chunks that were longer than others and cutting as close as she dared, but she had absolutely refused to use a razor, too afraid of accidentally cutting Adora with her shaky hands.

It didn’t matter how it looked. She felt  _ amazing _ . And free. And more like herself than she ever had before. And “no, it’s perfect, because  _ you _ did it.”

Catra scoffed, rolling her eyes. “You’re such an idiot.” 

Adora looked up at her just in time to catch the silly little smile on her lips.

“But you love me,” she teased, reaching her hands up to wrap around the back of Catra’s neck, pulling her closer.

A giggle, and then, with no edge to her words, Catra mumbled a too loud “unfortunately,” before nuzzling her cheek against Adora’s.

It was then that Glimmer walked by their open door. 

“Hey guys? Can you come down -- What…” In sync, their gazes darted to her figure in the frame, and they both burst out laughing as she looked them up and down before her eyes locked onto Adora’s botched hair. “What did you do?!”

“Maaakeover!” Adora hollered, practically falling out of her chair in laughter as she recalled the night before the Princess Prom so many years ago. 

Glimmer was by their side in a flash of sparkles, and had grabbed Adora’s cheeks between her palms as she twisted and turned her head every which way. “Adora! We need to get this fixed up right now!”

“Absolutely not! I love it. It’s perfect.” 

Catra’s shy smile off to the side was all that Adora needed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Adora is princess Catra’s knight sworn to protect her. Someone (maybe Scorpia?) is betrothed to Catra for alliance, but Catra only engages to make Adora jealous enough to confess because all Catra’s ever wanted is confirmation that Adora loves her too._
> 
> **ship:** catradora  
>  **rating:** teen+  
>  **verse:** knight/princess au

Catra held tighter to her betrothed’s arm as they progressed through the crowded throne room. It had been a fortnight since their announcement, and the people of her kingdom were finally able to see the couple together. All eyes were on Catra’s new partner, except for one pair.

Steel blue eyes, sharp and narrowed, were locked onto her. 

Their gazes met, only for a second, and her knight faltered. Her eyes dropped to the ground for an almost negligible moment before finding a place on the wall just over Catra’s shoulder. It wasn’t like her dame to lose focus like that, and Catra felt her heart racing under her ribs as she left the room, hands wrapped around her betrothed, with both of their knights following ten paces behind.

“This was lovely, my lady,” Catra’s betrothed said, turning to place a kiss upon the back of her hand. “I cannot wait for our alliance to be sworn in. Just over a month now.”

Catra nodded graciously, feeling the burn of eyes on the back of her neck. “Of course. A treat to see you, as always.”

As they and their knight left, Catra turned quickly to head back to her quarters. “Dame Adora, if you will please come with me.”

She stood straighter, and nodded. “Of course, your highness.”

They walked in silence, only the sound of metal brushing metal as her knight walked forward disrupting the silence. “Dame,” Catra started, glancing just briefly over her shoulder. “Pray tell… What do you think of my betrothed?” She glanced down just in time to see Adora’s fist tighten at her side. “You can be honest, Adora.”

Sweet Adora, the young orphan found alone in an abandoned hut, taken in by the king and queen to be a kitchen maid. Wild Adora, who was too rambunctious to be left alone for long, who was placed into the care of Dame Mara for training. Mischievous Adora, who always helped Catra escape boring lessons and ran beside her through the gardens. Kind, caring Adora, who got on her knee at age eleven and swore to always protect her princess, her best friend. 

Beautiful, wonderful Adora, who Catra had fallen in love with long ago.

“They seem kind enough,” she said, turning her stare out the window as they continued to walk. “They seem to like you.”

Catra hummed, shrugging her shoulders. “Well, who wouldn’t like me? I’m a delight.”

“That is true, my lady.” Adora let out a soft laugh, and Catra felt her chest tighten. “You are…” 

Catra swallowed, waiting. 

“... A treasure.” Adora sighed and Catra could hear the shift of her rolling her neck. “I am… I do not wish to speak out of turn.”

Catra paused, and turned to fully face her knight, wincing as the golden light through the hall caught in Adora’s blonde hair and illuminated her - made her glow. She was so,  _ so  _ beautiful.

“Please, I’d like to know your thoughts.” Catra took hurried steps closer, now not even an arms length apart. “No one knows me better than you.”

She stood up straighter and frowned at their proximity.

Ever since she had been knighted, Adora had kept a proper distance from Catra. Long gone were the days of headlocks in the halls, and rough housing in the kitchens, and falling asleep tangled together in front of a fire, and giggling about everything and nothing all at once as they whispered secrets in one anothers’ ear. Now, Adora kept her gaze high, bowed in greetings and farewells, kept a respectable amount of space between them and only touched her princess to assist in entering and leaving carriages. Only by the elbow.

Catra longed to feel her hand in hers again.

“Do…” The dame’s cheeks were tinged pink, and her gaze was locked on the polished wood beneath their feet. “Do  _ you _ like  _ them _ ? Rather—“ She flushed darker and bit at her bottom lip. This was the most rattled Catra had seen her knight in the last five years. “You… you deserve to marry for love, my lady. Not… for an alliance.”

“Well,” Catra started, taking another risky step forward. “You may be the only one who believes that. But…” She couldn’t miss the sharp intake of breath as Adora’s eyes dropped to her lips fleetingly. “Love - true love - is so hard to come by, is it not?”

Another step. Catra could almost feel static between their bodies. Adora’s hands clenched tighter at her sides.

“You deserve someone who loves you wholly and for you, your highness. Not just your kingdom and your assets.”

Catra hummed, and she took a risk. “Could this not grow into love, dame? Could they not… learn to love me?” Her hands were raising to cup Adora’s, and she almost flinched as Adora’s hands held hers back. “Have you ever loved, Adora?”

Adora nodded once, eyes snapping down to where Catra had intertwined their fingers. “... I have, your highness.”

“Was it slow?” she asks, her free palm sliding up the chest piece of her beloved knight. “Did it grow from a seedling? With care and water and sun? Did it form through time and effort, learning of their passions and desires? Or did it burn from both ends until you were left just ash, swept up the winds of your love for them?”

A gloved hand rose to cup Catra’s over Adora’s heart, and it was only then that Catra noticed that her kind, wonderful knight’s eyes were wet. 

“All of it, your highness.” Her hands held Catra’s tighter. “I have loved her since before I knew what it was. I have loved her since we were children and she let me play with her toys, since she held my hand in the gardens. I have loved her more for every twinkle of joy I saw in her eyes. It came fast, and burned slow, and it grew out of my control and I did my best to nurture it and care for it and I have never stopped loving her, not even for one second. I do not know if I ever could.”

Catra pulled her hands from under Adora’s and placed them tenderly at the back of her neck. “Do you wish for me to call off my betrothal, my dearest friend?”

She felt her whole body relax as Adora’s hands wrapped around her waist. “I wish for you to be happy, my lady.”

“And if I would be happiest with you?”

Her knight came impossibly closer, and pressed their foreheads together with a smile. “Then I would follow you to the darkest depths of Etheria to ensure your happiness.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Prompt: Catradora New Years kiss as strangers - pure fluff potential or could make it angsty_
> 
> **ship:** catradora  
>  **rating:** teen+  
>  **verse:** modern au

Catra’s eyes were glued to her phone, scrolling quickly through one app after the other, half wishing she hadn’t agreed to be the designated driver, and half wishing she just hadn’t bothered to come at all. It wasn’t like her friends to abandon her, but she knew they had their partners here and the clock was incredibly close to striking midnight, so it was only natural that they had gotten themselves into the thick of the party.

She supposed this was better than being drunk and alone, at least.

“C-can…” She couldn’t believe she heard the single word over the pounding music, but suddenly a very tall, very broad, and  _ very hot _ blonde was towering over her, pointing at the empty cushion beside her. “Can I sit here?”

“Suit yourself,” she mumbled, curling tighter into the arm of the couch and pulling her phone closer to her nose, hoping to hide the pink she could feel blossoming over her cheeks.

The girl plopped down into the cushion with an audible  _ oof _ before letting out a snort and a laugh. “Adora,” she started, sticking her hand out in some sort of offer of a greeting. “Uhhh, my name.”

Catra dropped the hand holding her phone into her lap and turned slowly towards the blonde. “... Catra,” she hesitated, slipping her hand into Adora’s. “Nice to meet you, I guess.” She did her best to ignore the tingling that was spreading through her palm. 

“Haaa!” Adora laughed,, leaning back into the cushion of the couch. “Catra…” And then she sat up with a gasp, pointing rapidly between the two of them.

Ah, so she was  _ very _ drunk.

“Catra!”

“... Yes?”

“We both have names that end in Ra,” she managed, before collapsing into a fit of giggles. “That’s kinda fun.” Some more giggles bubbled up before she gasped again and frowned, eyeing Catra up and down suspiciously. “Hey. Why don’t I know you? I know everyone.”

“You can’t possibly know  _ everyone _ ,” Catra chuckled, rolling her eyes and turning her attention back to her phone. “There are millions upon millions of people on this earth, Adora.”

She broke into a bout of laughter again before poking one finger against Catra’s shoulder. “No, I don’t mean - No one can know the entire world… But… this is my best friends’ party and I know all  _ their _ friends so it’s  _ weird  _ that I don’t know you...” Her eyes narrowed again and her expression became more scrutinizing as she bit at her bottom lip in thought.

Okay, damn, she was pretty fucking cute. 

Catra sighed and scooted up on the couch, turning to fully face the other girl. Crossing her legs, and leaning forward just slightly to be a little closer to Adora, Catra tilted her head against her arm that was pressed into the back of the couch. “You sure you don’t know me? Clearly your friends have lots of friends.”

“No way,” Adora snorted, turning herself inwards as well, before leaning her own head against the back cushions. “I would  _ not _ forget you. You’ve seen you, right?” Adora pointed an almost accusatory finger at Catra’s face, and grinned. “No one would forget  _ you _ .”

The heat rising in her cheeks was already fucking intolerable. “Hmm.” Catra tried to gain back some semblance of  _ cool _ , by flicking her nails together and examining them. “Well this is, whatsherface’s party, right? Glitter…?”

“Glimmer,” Adora corrected.

“Ah, yeah, the pink and sparkly one,” Catra smirked, amused by the furrow of Adora’s brows. “Nah, my friend Scorpia invited me. I don’t really know anyone here.”

“Aw, Scorpia!” She rolled her head against the cushion. “Scorpia’s really nice. She didn’t used to like me? I dunno why. She didn’t either. She would always -  _ ah,  _ sorry - talk about how annoying it was that my name had  _ adore _ in it because everyone liked me at our job and she didn’t like me so she said it -“ 

She paused her rant and screwed her lips up in thought. 

Catra waved her hand in front of Adora’s face and frowned. “You… You good there?”

Startling and jumping forward, getting probably much closer than Catra would  _ normally _ let a stranger get, Adora pointed out with a dedicated hand towards Scorpia after settling onto her hands and knees in some sort of crawl position. “Have you ever thought like… What if our names matched what we looked like? Or our… like, uh,  _ talents _ ?” She laughed again, a wide smile spreading on her lips. “Like what if… if Scorpia was like… a scorpion or something? With a tail and stinger and like…” she brought her hands up beside her face and started pinching her fingers together. “Claws…” 

Then she gasped, and pointed a finger towards Catra’s face. “You’d… be a cat. With… ears… and a fluffy little tail oh my  _ god _ that would be -” Adora’s eyes shot open and she immediately sat back into her side of the couch, trying to regain her calm. “It’d be cool. Yeah.”

“You’re really weird, you know that?” Catra scoffed, trying her best to get away from all of the overwhelming presence of Adora. Somehow she wound up sitting on the arm rest, eyes locked onto the blonde and blush spreading all the way to her ears.

“Yes, I do, thank you,” Adora replied, “and you’re  _ very _ pretty.”

Catra felt her eyes widen as her grip tightened on her phone, and suddenly the side of her shoe was absolutely the most interesting thing in the room. Fuck.

“Sorry,” she sighed, clearly defeated. “You probably have a partner. I shouldn’t flirt with someone who has a partner.”

Catra’s head snapped back, and she had never been more overheated in her entire fucking life. “What makes you say that?”

A little pout was on Adora’s lips and, fuck, she was so fucking cute, and drunk off her ass was trying to flirt? 

“Well I mean, look at you!” Adora’s hands were up in the air with emphasis. “You’re so pretty. You -- you might be the prettiest person I’ve ever seen.” Her head lolled back briefly before she sat back up,  _ openly _ pouting now. “But you have a partner.”

With a sigh, Catra crossed her arms. “I don’t have a partner, weirdo.”

“You!” She sat up with a gasp, before flushing and leaning back, attempting some form of nonchalance. “Oh! That’s… that’s cool. Okay.” And then, as if she had only just realized it, “oh no. I’m … drunk.”

Catra couldn’t help but burst out into laughter at the pathetic way Adora had said it, falling easily back into the cushions, this time laying on her back with her legs dangling over the armrest. “Yeah you fucking are.”

She looked up to Adora’s face, bright red but clearly happy, as she kept her gaze locked onto Catra’s. “I promise I’m… not always drunk.”

“I figured that much out on my own.”

Adora laughed and seemed to visibly relax before looking at the clock and blowing out a low whistle. “Couple more minutes. Good riddance, I say!” Catra snorted at the completely absurd way Adora declared this.

“Tough year?”

She nodded once, and slumped down further in her seat. “A bit.”

Catra hummed and moved to sit up, careful not to let her hands graze  _ any _ part of the girl beside her, who had slipped into a widespread sitting position. Both of their eyes were glued on the center of the room, where everyone was beginning to partner off and watch the ball on the big screen television. 

“Wish I had a pretty girl to kiss at midnight,” Adora said, visibly tensing beside her. 

Catra just rolled her eyes. 

“It would be awfully niiiice,” Adora continued, leaning a little towards Catra. “Wouldn’t have to mean anything, you know?”

It wasn’t like she would  _ mind _ kissing this idiot on the couch beside her. But… she wasn’t going to give in  _ that _ easily. “You implying something here, Adora?”

“Oh! No. Noooo. I wouldn’t imply anything! I am… drunk! And saying dumb things. Sorry, sorry sorry.” Adora let out a big awkward laugh before dropping her head into her hands. “I shouldn’t have come talk to you while so drunk. You’re really pretty. Pretty girls make me dumb. I’m -”

“Am I not the only girl you’ve chatted up tonight?” Catra teased, poking a sharp nail against Adora’s thigh to make her look up, and relished in the dark red on her cheeks.

“You are!” Adora protested, sitting up and clasping her hands together in a plea. “I promise. I don’t… I don’t do this. Literally ever.” Biting at her lip, Adora started to curl in on herself, clearly embarrassed. 

The room boomed as everyone began their countdown, starting at ten.

_ Ten! _

_ Nine! _

“I’ll just uhhh, leave you alone now.” Adora stood quickly and stiffly, taking one step before Catra jumped up behind her.

_ Seven! _

_ Six! _

“Adora, wait.”

_ Five! _

“Yeah?”

_ Four! _

“This is not because I like you, okay?”

_ Three! _

“W-what?”

_ Two! _

“Just…” Catra stepped closer, and brought her hands up to Adora’s jaw, cupping gently. 

_ One! _

Adora’s eyes practically bugged out of her head as Catra leaned up on her tiptoes, and bumped their noses together in an almost awkward maneuver. 

_ Zero! Happy New Year! _

Catra filed this feeling away for later instead of dwelling on it now. The soft press of lips, and the surprised intake of breath, and the warm slide of large palms against her lower back as Adora melted into the kiss took her off guard as the noise started to grow more muffled around them.

Pulling back quickly, Catra swallowed hard, but let her hands linger for just a moment longer. “If I give you my number, will you remember to call me?”

Adora nodded, her grip tightening just a fraction. “I told you. I would never forget you.”


End file.
